Staggering
by Oddly Inspired
Summary: It wasn’t that she had any particular feelings of dislike toward the boy. She hardly minded him at all, and actually thought he was rather dashing, but there were certain rules, and she had never been one to break the rules, or even bend them. LJ
1. Dreams

"Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the idea is quite staggering."  
-Arthur C. Clarke

**Staggering.**

CHAPTER ONE- dreams.

It's such an odd thing when you realize that there will always be that one person there who will never leave your side. The thought is really quite comforting, but it's something that is rarely ever thought of- rather, it is sort of stored away in the back of our minds, that little hopeful dream that we only take time to examine on rainy days. We very scarcely ever know who that person is- it could be anyone: a best friend, a parent, a sibling, or your significant other. Of course, women are always hoping it will be the latter, our dreamy minds constantly weaving tales of heroism, beauty, and _romance_- whether we like to admit it or not. That is what the dreams of little girls are made of, as they sleep comfortably, never doubting that it will someday happen to them.

* * *

Lily Evans patiently turned the page of her thick Transfiguration textbook, whilst impatiently tucking a strand of her wavy auburn hair behind her ear, the dainty diamond studs placed in her lobes sparkling in the sunlight, catching the eye of many a young man, none more so than him.

She looked like a complete mess, or at least she thought so, but to him there was no greater beauty in the all the word. Her make-up-less face and messily put up hair were undeniably attractive to him, for reasons she could not understand.

She had tried so hard to get him to stop fancying her- she called him names, picked fights with him, slapped him, kissed his best friend in front of him last Christmas, and even tried to make herself as unattractive as she could possibly bear- all for naught. It wasn't that she had any particular feelings of dislike toward the boy- she hardly minded him at all, and actually thought he was rather dashing- but there were certain rules that she had found out long ago, and she had never really been one to break the rules, or even bend them.

She, very simply, did not want to put up with all attention she would surely receive from jealous peers if she went out with him, and as she was well-enough liked as it was, she didn't particularly care to ruin that… or her reputation, for that matter. She had become known as a good girl- she did her work on time, was a prefect, was kind to most nearly everyone (except for him, but I digress), and was rather pretty and charming. Her life had been thus far simple, happy, and singularly uneventful, and she liked it that way.

She was liked by many boys, of that she knew, and although she suspected that some of her female schoolmates may be a little jealous of that fact, none had ever given her any trouble, and they were all quite agreeable with her. Therefore, it didn't really matter in the end, not as it was now anyway, but of course if she did date _that_ boy, things would _surely_ get a bit out of hand.

Many girls had liked that boy for rather long times, and she had a sneaking thought that some of them probably knew even more about him than his best friend did. They were constantly spying on him while he changed in the locker rooms before Quidditch matches. Lily had never joined in on this silly tradition- he was just a boy, and rather conceited one at that- his ego hardly needed more stroking than it already received.

And although she did find him rather attractive, and she did sometimes wonder what it would be like to have him all to herself, she simply could never date him. Even if he _was_ very polite, had a sweet temperament, came from a very nice and highly influential family, and was obviously mad about her.

Actually, she had a feeling that the two of them were really far too alike for their own good, and so every time that he asked her out, he was met with a very firm but polite decline. "No, thank you, you're really quite kind, and I'm awfully flattered, but I'm just not that interested."

After a few hundred times, however, her good breeding and the well-mannered responses gave way to somewhat petty insults and put-downs. Often times, the response came even before the question. "You realize that this is the 453rd you've asked in the past two years, correct? Do you realize that this is also the 453rd time that I am going to say no? Good, shall we just skip to that part, then?"

* * *

James Potter watched her as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, smiling slightly at the look of utter frustration on her face as she studied Transfiguration. She was, without a doubt, extremely bright, but she had never been good at Transfiguration. Charms was _her_ thing, Transfiguration was _his_.

He had often thought about using that to his advantage- say that he would help her in Transfiguration if she would help him in Charms- that way he would at least have an excuse to be near her, and be able to talk to her, never mind that it was about homework.

He had tried it once, too.

His brilliant ploy failed when it became obvious to her that he had no trouble whatsoever in Charms. She had been a bit angry about that, he remembered, because she had made a fool of herself letting him know how hard something was to her, when everything was still easy to him.

He remembered that she had slapped him, twice, during that week.

It was last week actually.

But he knew that he was running out of time- they were already halfway through their sixth year, getting ready to take their final exams before packing and going home again. Their last year was steadily approaching, and he knew that if he didn't have her by then, he never would. He would have lost everything that mean anything to him (other than his friends, house, parents, owl, gold watch, and cat- but those were all something else entirely).

And James Potter was not a loser.

He _was_ many things, of course, including handsome, honest, brave, chivalrous, funny, charming, generous, kind; but he was most certainly _not_ a loser.

He was a Potter, after all. They were very stubborn people. He could admit that much, at least. However, they were also very _persuasive_ people.

So it was simple really.

All that he had to do was use some of the famous Potter Charm- it had never failed him before- and she would be his!

And they could get married and have a baby and a cozy little house out in the country with a white picket fence in a tree-lined neighborhood and roses in the back garden, a big dog sitting in front of the hearth on a braided rug and an overstuffed couch- everything would be absolutely wonderful. She would cook and clean and do his laundry and always greet him at the door looking like his beautiful wife- a happy smile on her face, and tell him all about how the baby had learned a new word today and how she found a great dress when she was shopping today and--

"OI! WAKE UP, PRONGS!"

"I wasn't asleep."

The boy across from him scoffed, folding his arms against his broad chest and tucking his long legs underneath him, preparing to stand. "Well, you might as well have been. Have you heard anything we've been saying for the past ten minutes?"

"Er… well… was it about Moony?" He said, his hopeful voice drifting off a little towards the end as he looked around at the other boys. Obviously, he was wrong. Ah, well. They would have to get over it. Really now, how could they expect him to pay attention to them when _she_ was so nearby?

Remus sighed, shaking his head no. "It was about Peter, actually. His mother is ill, and he's going home for the week."

"She is not _ill_, Moony. She's just bored and wants someone there to boss around and worry about," Peter explained. Since his father had died, when he was only 10, his mother had doted upon him as though he was five years old.

"Come on now, Pete," Sirius interrupted, "The woman is lonely. If it were my mother- well maybe not _my_ mother, but if it were James' mother- I would go home for her in a heartbeat. Besides," He drew himself up to full height, stretching and casting a wary eye around him, "You're getting out of school, and being excused from all missed work."

"You're lucky, you are. The teachers all like you."

"James, the teachers would like _you_ just fine if you would turn in some of your work now and then."

"Oh, sod off, Moony," He said, more than a bit grumpily. "You're a Prefect; it's _your_ job to turn in work. Not mine." He looked over toward her one last time.

Sirius noticed. "Oh, come off it, mate. She's never gonna like you, the way you've been behaving." At his friends puzzled expressions, he elaborated, "Well, we know exactly what it is she doesn't like about you, right? And, we have two whole months over the summer to work on it. Three, if we start right now."

He was met with two puzzled faces, and another slowly dawning in realization. "So you're saying… that we'll have to completely revamp his outer personality?"

"Exactly. Nothing else has worked so far, has it?"

"All right then. I'll help. I wouldn't exactly call it a good idea to leave such an operation to _you_. His ego would end up even bigger than it was before… either that or it would be totally destroyed." Remus said, laughing softly.

Sirius appeared to take slight offence, but then shook his head, laughing. "Excellent."

* * *

I really don't like the ending at all. It's way too… blah. I don't know.

Anyways, review and you can be named The Coolest Person I Know for a whole day.


	2. Reflections

**Staggering.**

CHAPTER TWO- reflections.

* * *

He had asked her out again. And again, she had turned him down. He really had improved quite a bit since last year, though. He had, for the most part, changed back into the sweet and charming boy she had known him to be before fourth year, when he had started asking her out.

It had been quite a shock to find that he had been made Head Boy, but once she got used to the idea of working with him, she could understand. He was rather brilliant, and he did have crucial leadership skills…

He had only asked her out once in the whole two months (before today). They had been sitting in the same carriage on the way back up to school, and he only really even did it because her friends had bothered him about it on the train ride up to Hogsmeade Station ("Don't you have something to ask Lily?").

But what was even stranger (to her anyway), was that she somehow missed it. The very thought of her missing the part of her day that she used to dread the most was simply ludicrous, but it was true.

On the other hand, it was nice. She felt as though she could finally be his friend without worrying that he would want something more from her. She could laugh at his jokes now, race with him to classes, eat with him at lunch, and go on Hogsmeade trips with him and all the rest of her friends. And she found that she truly enjoyed being around him.

There was something so… genuine about him. And yet, there was so much she didn't know. He was a bit of an enigma to her, really. She didn't know anyone in his family, although she knew that they were politically and socially powerful, not to mention extremely wealthy- but that was all common knowledge. He never talked about any siblings, never even mentioned home, except when he or Sirius told a story of some adventure they had had over the summer.

There was so little that she did know about him, and so much that she didn't, and possibly even more that she never would.

Today, after the famous question was asked, she actually took a moment to consider it, mentally sorting the pros and cons into neat and organized lists, with side notes of comparison. In the end, she had decided that the cons still heavily outweighed the pros- he was still something of a prat, and he hadn't yet proved to her that he wasn't only in for a good time. It had always struck her a bit funny, the way he had suddenly decided to fall in love with her. She had the sneaking suspicion that the only reason he hadn't given up on her yet was because he liked the idea of a chase- a challenge.

She knew there was not much that did challenge him, mentally, physically, or socially; and so it was understandable that he would appreciate the newness of such an idea.

Yet… the newness would have surely worn off by now. Why did he continue to humiliate himself?

_"It has nothing to do with me. It's about you. And it's always about you: what you need and what you want. You know, it seems you only want me when you can't have me. You like the chase, and that's all. And you know what? You can have it."_

She remembered saying that to him last year, the last time he had asked her. She had just begun dating Michael Torcher, a nice seventh year Ravenclaw who had been quite interested in her. He was charming and kind and Lily had been absolutely smitten with him. The relationship had ended on cordial terms a little over two months ago, at the beginning of the summer. He had decided that since he would going into the Ministry and would be kept quite busy, that it was best they end it, rather than drag out the inevitable. Lily had agreed- after all, she would still be at school, where he could very hardly visit her, except maybe at Hogsmeade.

At any rate, what she had said then had been absolutely true. Back then, he only ever asked her when he knew someone else fancied her or she fancied someone, or she was dating someone.

She had only said no today on the basis that they had only just gotten to be friends… and, unlike it used to be, she hated the fact that she had to say no. He had become so dear to her. She knew that she was hurting him whenever she turned him down, but…

She wasn't ready to give up the chase quite yet. Giving it up would mean, essentially, to admit defeat, and she couldn't allow Potter to win.

Lily Evans was not a loser.

She, too, was many things- intelligent, pretty, fun, sociable, and amicable. She was virtuous, good-mannered, and accomplished, but she was definitely _not_ a loser.

No. She wouldn't give in to James quite yet.

The chase was still far too much fun to give up.

* * *

"All right, Prongs. This," Sirius gestured to the items laid out on the bed, "Is a comb. Use it well." 

"Sirius. My hygiene is fine, thank you," James rolled his eyes towards his enthusiastic friend. "My hair will never lie flat. Trust me, me mum tried."

"Padfoot, wasn't the whole point of this to deflate his ego a bit? And help him stop being an immature prat?"

"What's wrong with my ego!"

"It's a bit big, mate. According to Evans, anyway."

"It's not that out of control! It's… healthy! I've a healthy amount of confidence! And anyway I've gotten much better! We're even friends now!"

The other three boys looked at one another, bemused.

"Sure, Prongs. Whatever you say, mate."

James continued to pout all throughout classes. Girls stopped him in the hall, practically tripping over themselves to cheer him up. "James! James! What's the matter! Oh, James, I _do_ hope you feel better! Did that witch turn you down again! Oh, poor, _poor_ James!"

"Well, look at it this way, Prongs. Even if this doesn't work out, look at all the substitute birds out there for you! Really, a bird is just a bird," Sirius smiled charmingly and waved at the group. "But you have to treat them like their something special, or they get a bit put out."

James sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, but… this isn't just any old bird… I mean, this is _Evans_!"

"Y'know, Prongs," Peter cut in, catching up to them at the door of the Transfiguration classroom. "Maybe you ought to start calling her Lily. I think she would prefer that… and, it would prove that you actually _do_ know her name. After all, like you said, the two of you are friends now. So call her by her name."

"And another thing. Stop pouting, your face will stick that way," Remus sat down in his desk, pulling out his textbook and parchment.

James stuck his tongue out. Sirius laughed mockingly.

"Prongsie, my friend... we have quite a lot of work to do before the end of the year."

* * *

Thanks to… **Erica**, **Emmily**, and **krazisoapluvnreject** for reviewing! And yes, you three are all the Coolest People I Know. 

Review!


	3. Miracle

So, this is it! I know, short story, and this is a short chapter. But I have three AP classes, and this just seemed like a good place to end it, anyway.

--

**Staggering.**

CHAPTER THREE- miracle.

--

It all sounded rather unhealthy to her, really. The very idea of going weak in the knees terrified her. Lightheadedness was surely a sign of fatigue- which was, more than likely, the cause of the infatuation anyway. What were sparks doing flying about, anyway? That was potentially very dangerous, as it could start a fire. And who on earth would want butterflies in their stomach?

Apparently, she did.

Curse him. Stupid James Potter. Who was he to just come crashing (quite literally, that was how they had come to meet) into her life? And what right did he have to make her fall in love? That was the last thing she needed now.

She needed to focus on her studies and her Head Girl duties, and- most importantly- on what she was going to do after graduation. She had to get a job. Of course ruddy Potter wouldn't understand that. He would never have to work, if he didn't want to.

Ah, back to him. Stupid one-track mind. It didn't help at all that she to see him everyday. He took all the same N.E.W.T. classes as she did, and they had to patrol together every night.

Oh, patrol. It was an awkward hour, to say the least. She dreaded it all day, and, in some way, even looked forward to it. Her day would be incomplete without that last hour of James doing his best to be charming and sweet, even though experience taught her he was actually a clumsy berk who tripped on his own feet and was raised to have impeccable manners.

You see, she was very much a creature of habit, and the nightly patrol has become part of her routine. It was like brushing her teeth- absolutely essential. And after patrol, they would walk back, slowly, to the Head's Tower, lightly bantering and teasing one another.

They very rarely fought anymore. There was, admittedly, the occasional argument, but it was never serious. He still asked her out every now and then, and she still said no, if only because she was afraid. She wasn't, as has been said, quite yet ready to surrender the chase… yet.

But she somehow wished he would ask again, just so that she could see his face when she finally said yes.

--

It was, without a doubt, the most wonderful feeling in the world. She said yes! All the trouble he'd gone through- he was finally getting his reward. Sirius and Remus had been brilliant help, of course. Even Peter had given some effort. That had been over three months ago, and they were still (miraculously, he was sure) together, and both alive, and neither missing any important addendums.

They still fought (a lot), but he looked forward to the fights now. It would have concerned him, really, if she had been agreeable. His stomach still fluttered every time he saw her, and he was certain that he would never get over the light-headedness. She was always going to give him weak knees, but that was okay. He figured that if she didn't, then she wouldn't be The One. And after everything he had been through to get her, she'd damn well be the one. Or he would just… die! How could she not be?

She insisted that she probably wasn't, they were still rather young, but he was convinced. And he would tell her so over the summer. They were going to get married and have a baby and a cozy little house out in the country with a white picket fence in a tree-lined neighborhood and roses in the back garden, a big dog sitting in front of the hearth on a braided rug and an overstuffed couch- everything would be absolutely wonderful. She would cook and clean and do his laundry and always greet him at the door looking like his beautiful wife- a happy smile on her face, and tell him all about how the baby had learned a new word today and how she found a great dress when she was shopping today and--

"James?"

He smiled up at her, spinning around and pulling her into his lap. "You know, Lily, I think things will work out all right after all."

"Maybe. But let's just take things one at a time, for now."

"That sounds like a plan to me."

"Good. If it didn't, I might have to do something drastic."

James paled, and she laughed, a tinkling sound that still managed to give him chills down his spine. "Yeah. Definitely a plan, then."

--

Hope you've all enjoyed it, and thanks so much for all the nice reviews!


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